


The Merciless - Control

by Nathaniel_Quietly



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Wonder Woman (Comics)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-08-03 07:23:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16321730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nathaniel_Quietly/pseuds/Nathaniel_Quietly
Summary: So for those who havent heard, October is here and we at DC Animated Adventures are teaming up with Nazario Designs to giveaway the complete Batman: The Animated Series on DVD! Chris will draw a villain a day and you just write a short 400-500 word story about that character and you're entered! That simple!Lance and I decided that we wanted to play along as well, even though we're not qualified to win (as we are putting on the contest). Here's my entry for today, the sixth of The Dark Knights: The Merciless. (Check outThe DCAA Facebookfor more information.)





	The Merciless - Control

The helmet of Ares had been with him for two days now, and he was still in control.

Yes, he’d ended Wonder Woman--Diana, his love, his partner, his reason for being. But that had been in the heat of battle, an she had questioned his rightful authority. That had been punishment, swift and sure. Not murder. He was still Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne was neither cowardly, nor superstitious. He was no murderer.

“Bruce?”

And there had been the purse snatchers, petty thugs who thought they could pull a petty crime. Vermin who thought they were beneath his notice. He’s crushed their skulls against one another until pulped slurry oozed between his fingers. He’d roared when their faces first connected, a roar he’d thought was pain but realized later had been exaltation. They were insects, infesting his city’s streets. Gotham was better off without them.

“Bruce, it’s Dick. Alfred called. He’s...he’s worried about you.”

Alfred. Alfred had been an accident. He’d returned to the cave after Ares’ defeat, the helm still upon his brow. The butler had tried to tempt it off his with an appeasement of cucumber sandwiches and a carafe of tea. Bruce Wayne broke his arm for such a meager offering, and stopped just short of hefting the offender and hurling him into the abyss of the caves below. He’d meant to apologize, but there was simply too much work to be done. Alfred had disappeared into the mansion upstairs, and Bruce Wayne started hunting for The Clown.

”Bruce? Hey, talk to me. I’m right here, I know you can hear me. How can I help?”

The Joker was off the grid--again. No matter, Bruce Wayne had time. When all leads on the Clown turned up empty, he left the bodies where they fell and took a stroll to the Iceberg Lounge. Oswald squwaked and screeched that he was a legitimate businessman, that he had given up on crime. That the Bat should show mercy. But Bruce Wayne had no more mercy to give. He brought the building down upon himself and everyone inside. He was the only one to leave the wreckage.  
With the Penguin taken care of, he returned to the Cave once more, intent on tracking the rest of the villainy that plagued Gotham. The helm weighed down on his shoulders, but he pushed ahead. He would finally bring true justice to Gotham. He was Bruce Wayne. He had this all under control.

“Bruce, will you please--”

He had had enough. The gnat had been buzzing in his ear interminably, offering no respect, no proper fear for his new God. Bruce Wayne reached out a lackadaisical hand and twisted the youth’s neck until it offered a satisfying, crunching pop. The boy didn’t even try to stop him. He’d assumed a gesture of affection.

Bruce glanced at the corpse of the man he’d considered his oldest son for only a moment; observed the trickle of blood the was starting to pool from its nose, its mouth. Then he returned his attention to the Bat-Computer.

He had everything under control.


End file.
